China alleges hypocrisy, says the US has flown high-altitude spy balloons over China more than 10 times in the last year alone

• China accused the US of sending spy balloons over the country at least 10 times since January 2022.
• This comes after the US shot down an apparent Chinese spy balloon over the US earlier this month.

China said that the US has flown more than 10 high-altitude spy balloons over its airspace since January 2022, as it responded to US outrage over an alleged Chinese spy balloon that flew over the United States.

During a briefing on Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that many balloons were flown over China without its permission, Reuters reported.

Wang, responding to questions, said that China had shot down the balloons in a responsible and professional way.

The US denied China's allegation.

House National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on Monday that "any claim that the US government operates surveillance balloons over the PRC is false."

She said: "It is China that has a high-altitude surveillance balloon program for intelligence collection, that it has used to violate the sovereignty of the US and over 40 countries across 5 continents."

She accused China of "scrambling to do damage control."

China's allegation comes after the US accused China of sending spy balloons over its airspace and those of other countries.

On February 4, US F22 jets shot down the first balloon, triggering a strong response from China. The Chinese foreign ministry said that it was "unacceptable and irresponsible" to shoot it down, calling it an overreaction.

China acknowledged that the balloon was one its own, but said it was a "meteorological research" tool that had ended up over the US by accident.

A State Department official told CNN that the balloon was part of a fleet that had flown over "more than 40 countries across five continents."

The US also claimed to have shot down other objects this month, but has not said whether it believes they came from China.

Other countries have also accused China of encroaching on their airspace.

Canada said the spy balloon that the US shot down also crossed Canadian territory.

Meanwhile, Taiwan said that China had sent dozens of surveillance balloons over its airspace in recent years, according to the Financial Times.

A senior Taiwanese official told the outlet that "they come very frequently, the last one just a few weeks ago," with the publication suggesting that the revelation provided new insight into China's "extensive military balloon programme."

A UK government minister also said on Monday that it was "possible" China had sent spy balloons over the United Kingdom.